Poetry Through Time
by Fyrloche
Summary: Kagome gets a message from the past.


**A/N: Sorry for the delay, my friends, but my computer went on strike and I have been in negotiations with it for a while. We finally hammered out a deal, (I didn't have to resort to the sledge hammer, a ball-peen worked nicely) and now I am back. I decided to take a little break from 'Reunion' to collect my thoughts on it and on 'Be Careful What You Do', the sequel to 'Be Careful What You Say'. I will be updating 'Reunion' soon and will be beginning 'Be Careful What You Do' before much longer. Take it easy.**

Poetry through Time

The Shikon no Tama was finished. There was no need for Kagome to be in the past anymore. She had nothing to keep her here she thought sadly. She had her friends and Shippou, but not what she wanted the most. Inuyasha was still distant. Oh, he showed her the affection of a friend, but she wanted more from him. And that was the problem with staying in the past, she couldn't bear to be near him. It was breaking her heart.

"Well," she thought,"I need to tie up some loose ends. I need to see mom about Shippou." Kagome had made a decision that Shippou would be coming with her. She couldn't think of leaving the little kitsune without a 'mother' again. She just wished Inuyasha wanted to be his 'father'. "I'll have to go forward in time before I give the jewel to Inuyasha." she thought. "I'll go now and stay a couple of days to set things up for Shippou."

"Shippou," she called, "come here please."

"Hai, Kagome." he answered. "What do you need?"

"How would you like to come live with me in my own time?"

"You mean it!?", crowed the ecstatic kitsune. "I would love to. Will I get to call you 'Mom'?"

"Of course," Kagome smiled, "I need to go forward to set things up with my mom and I'll be gone for a couple days."

"Okay. I'll tell Inuyasha so that he can get ready, too."

"Wait, Shippou. Inuyasha isn't coming with us." Kagome said sadly. "He will be staying here."

"But, but, why?" Shippou started to cry. "I thought he would want to go with you."

"He hasn't said anything. He is just waiting for me to give him the Shikon no Tama."

"But if you give it to him," protested Shippou, "then you won't be able to come back and get me!"

"Silly, I won't give it to him until after I have wrapped up some things. I need to get some presents for Kaede, Sango, and Miroku to remember me by. And something special for Inuyasha." she said.

Kagome didn't know it, but Inuyasha had heard everthing from the branches above.

He hadn't meant to. He was watching out for Kagome, just as he always did. He knew that she needed time to herself sometimes, and he tried to do so without leaving her unprotected. So, he hid. This time he heard more than he intended and it was killing him. "I can't tell her how I feel. I have nothing to give her. I wanted her to stay near without ever telling her how I feel and ruining it. She could never feel that way about me." Being freinds with a hanyou was one thing, it could be accepted. Loving one was another. Inuyasha remembered the way his mother had been treated, and she had been the mate of a demon lord. There was no way he was going to put the woman he loved through that. Even if it meant never telling her how he felt. After she had disappeared down the old well, Inuyasha sighed sadly and retreated to the top of the GoShimboku. When he reached the top he reached into a hole in the side of the tree. Inside was a lacquered box where he kept his most personel things. Inside were some scrolls, an inkwell, and a writing brush. He opened one of the scrolls and looked at it. His emotions overcame him as he read the words he had written and he crushed the paper and let it drop. "Why can't things be different?" he said softly to himself. With that thought, he closed the box, replaced it in its hole, and leaned back against the tree trunk and studied the sky. He didn't see a robed figure pick up the crumpled sheet of parchment. The figure opened the crumpled ball and began reading the words written on it. His eyebrows shot up on his forehead and he glanced up at the shadowy figure of the hanyou in the top of the tree. Slowly, he smiled. Maybe there was something that he could do to bring his friends together, after all.

Kagome woke to the sound of an alarm clock going off. 'Oohh. What made me decide that I had to go to school today? I need to do my shopping for the gang before I go back.' That thought brought a sigh, she really didn't look forward to never seeing her friends again, but staying just wasn't something she was prepared to do. If she just knew that Inuyasha cared for her as more than a friend, she would be happy to travel back to the past all the time, maybe even live there, but that was a futile thought. Inuyasha would never love her.

Kagome got ready for school and left. The day was a kind of blur, nothing registered in any of her classes until she got to history. She found that she had a substitute sensei. He had been teaching the class for several days now ,but since she had been in the feudal era, she had not known about the change. When she entered the class, he singled her out for his immediate attention.

"Ah! You must be my missing student, Higurashi Kagome. It is nice to finally meet you." The sensei said this sarcastically, but he had a smile on his face to take the sting out of his words. "You have some catching up in this class if you expect to get a passing grade." He cocked his head to one side, then he smiled, again. "I will help you catch up with the rest of the class, if you like, Higurashi. From the records that I have read, you are not a bad student. You just lack discipline."

Kagome's face flared red with embarrassment and she bowed her head. "Hai, Sensei. Thank you for your offer. I would be happy for the help." she managed to reply.

"Very good. Now, take your seat and we will begin."

After Kagome had seated herself, the sensei began handing out a paper. He explained while he was handing copies of it to his students. "Now, class, as you know, we have been studying the Sengoku Jidai." Kagome straightened in her seat, in surprise. She hadn't known that! Maybe her friends could help her before she gave Inuyasha the jewel. "We have been reviewing the prejudices of the people back then. The class system that they lived under, and the superstitious fears that they had. Today, I am handing out a sample of poetry that I found on a website of writings from that era. It is not the best poetry, but it is an example of how peoples prejudices can ruin someones life. Because of the superstitions of the time, a young man who looked different from his fellow humans was called a youkai and was shunned by villagers. Then, one day, a young woman from a far away place came to the village that the young man lived at. She did not fear or resent him. And because of her care, he came to have friends because she was able to show others that he was a decent and kind person who just put up masks to keep people from hurting him. But, the story doesn't have a happy ending. She left for her home and the young man never told her how he felt because he feared for her happiness and her safety."

"That is so sad!" whispered Ayumi.

"You are quite right. It was very sad." replied the sensei.

"Eeep!" said Ayumi. She flushed, "I'm sorry, Sensei."

"That's all right. Your statement was true, and it showed that you were paying attention."

"How do we know that you didn't make all this up to sell us on this poem?" asked one of the boys from the back of the class. He held up his copy of the poem. "It doesn't have any of that on this."

"The history that I have been telling you about the author of this poem was contained in the writings of a buddhist monk who had made friends with the young man because of the woman."

Kagome's heart stopped. 'It can't be!' she thought. She had been thinking how true that story could have been from the people that she had seen in that time period. She never dreamed that it could be refering to her!

"Higurashi. Since you have been absent, the honor of reading the poem aloud goes to you."

"Hai, Sensei." Kagome replied. She picked up the handout from her desk and stood. She looked at it to get a feel for the poem and her heart leaped into her throat at the title.

"Please begin, Higurashi."

Kagome swallowed hard. "Hai, Sensei." She took a deep breath and began. "The title of this poem is 'Damned Hanyou'." She paused to get her heart beat under control and started again, shakily.

Hair like black silk,

Shimmering in the moonlight.

Looking soft as a cloud,

But I can not run my fingers through it,

For I am Hanyou.

Lips red as the setting sun,

Soft and always smiling.

With breath that smells of honey,

But I can not taste them,

For I am Hanyou.

Skin like porcelain,

Smooth and fair.

Surely soft to the touch,

But I can not touch it,

For I am Hanyou.

Eyes of fire,

Flashing with laughter or anger.

I fear the fire that they have begun in me,

But I can not let it burn,

For I am Hanyou.

Soul of love,

Who cares for me,

Takes me as I am.

But I can never tell her I love her,

For I am nothing but a damned Hanyou.

Kagome's voice cracked on the end of the poem. Her tears rolled down her cheeks, unheaded.

"Very good, Higurashi." The sensei handed her a handkerchief. "It speaks well of your compassion that you cry over this poem. You have caught the pain of the author, his feeling of hopelessness. If you would, please read his name aloud."

Kagome looked at the bottom of the poem for the author's name. New tears started as she read it aloud. "The author's name is In - Inuyasha."

"Even his name reflects the superstitions of that time. To name a child 'dog demon' based upon his appearance. Oh, sorry, I didn't get into that. The monk who archived this particular writing gave a discription of the author. Apparently, he had some form of birth defect that made his ears appear canine. Like a dog's ears, for those of you with a limited vocabulary."

Kagome's eyes flashed in anger. She stood and shouted at the sensei, "His ears are not defective! They are perfect, just the way they are!" Suddenly, her hands went to her mouth as the class turned to gape at her. "I...I'm sorry, Sensei. I don't know what came over me."

Her sensei looked at her stearnly. "Higurashi, while I am willing to overlook some of the emotion that was displayed, I will not tolerate interruptions in my class. Compose yourself before I send you to the front office."

Kagome's cheeks flared red. "Hai, Sensei."

"Now, take your seat." He looked over the class. "Now, are there any questions before we begin detailed discussion of the Sengoku Jidai and its superstitions. Yes, Ayumi?"

"Sensei, what happened to the young man, Inuyasha?"

"Good question. His fate is unknown. The monk who wrote about him says that he disappeared about the time that the woman that he was in love with left. The monk feared that he either killed himself out of grief or allowed himself to be killed by some of the superstitious villagers of that time."

Kagome's hands went to her mouth and her eyes grew wide in horror. She had to get back before Inuyasha did any thing stupid. She stuck up her hand. "Sensei? May I be excused?"

Her sensei looked at her and shook his head. "No, Higurashi. You may not. Unless you are violently ill, I will not excuse you from this class. You are too far behind to leave it at a moments notice."

"But,"

"No buts, young lady. You have a great deal of catching up to do, and unless you wish to spend time here this afternoon after school, I would suggest that you not protest any more."

"Hai, Sensei." Kagome answered, miserably.

"And, sense you seem to identify with this author so much, I want you to write an answer to his poem," the sensei paused, "in poem form. It doesn't have to be good. I want you to pretend that you are the woman that this Inuyasha is pining for and write him a response, one that affirms the fact that you love him and don't care what people think of his appearance. This will be extra credit for you to replace some of the homework you have missed."

Kagome's mouth dropped open. This was getting way to wierd for her and she time traveled! It was almost as if this sensei knew that she was the object of the poem, but that was impossible. She shrugged it off as incredible coincidence and looked at the poem again. This time, when she read it, she smiled in fondness. 'So, my hanyou, you have been holding out on me! Well, now that I know how you feel, I am not letting you go.' With that thought, she began her answer to the hanyou that she loved.

When Kagome returned home that afternoon, it was with the thought in mind that she had to get down the well and to Inuyasha as quickly as possible. A surprise was waiting for her when she entered her room. There was a stack of gift wrapped boxes on her bed.

"I found your list of gifts for your friends." came a voice from behind her. She turned to see her mother standing in the door. "I took the liberty of buying them for you and getting them gift wrapped."

"Oh, thank you, mama!" Kagome went across the room to give her mother a hug.

"You're very welcome, my dear. Now, I noticed that you didn't have anything for Inuyasha."

"Oh yes I do! I just need to wrap it." Kagome paused, struck by a thought. "Mama? Can we go to a jewelery store before I go back?"

"Why, of course, Kagome. What are you going to get?"

Kagome smiled happily at her mother. "You'll see." she promised as she grabbed her mother's arm and headed out of her room.

Kagome went through the well as soon as she and her mother got back from shopping. 'I've got to do this now before I lose my nerve.' she thought. 'And before Inuyasha does anything stupid!'

Her fear that Inuyasha may have left proved unfounded. He was waiting for her on the other side of the well, as always. She smiled when she saw him and the gruff expression on his face. 'Just wait, Mr. Never-show-what-you're-feeling.' She thought, smugly. 'I will get through to you.'

"Well, come on, Kagome. Let's get this over with."

"Not until after dinner. I have some gifts for everyone and I want to give them out after we have had a chance to spend some time together."

"Feh! Whatever! The only thing I want from you is the jewel."

Kagome's anger flared for a moment before she remembered the poem. Her heart softened because she knew that he didn't really mean it, but she needed to keep in character so she frowned and said, "Fine! I'll give you your precious jewel, but not before dinner!" She turned to go, "Oh, I almost forgot!" she said, looking back.

"What? Did you leave something on the other side of the well?" Inuyasha snapped.

"No, just this." She smiled at Inuyasha. His eyes widened as he realized what was coming. "Sit!"

What Inuyasha said was lost in a mouthful of dirt, which is probably just as well.

Dinner was a somber affair. It was a beautiful evening and the moon was full so they ate outside of Kaede's hut, but most of the participants didn't appreciate the view. Sango and Miroku sat next to each other, holding hands and giving each other moral support. Sango would look at Kagome occasionally, and would have to wipe a tear from her eye. Miroku was glaring at Inuyasha, knowing that all it would take was a word from the stubbourn hanyou to keep Kagome there. He had been hopeful that his plan would work, but he saw no sign that it had. Kaede kept busy preparing and serving dinner. Occasionally, she would ask Kagome about her plans for the future and what she planned to do with her life. She was pleased to find that Kagome planned to become a healer, but secretly she was dismayed to know that this woman who had come to mean so much to her would not become her heir. Kagome was more powerful, spiritually, but she still had a lot to learn about herb lore and about harnessing her power for healing. Inuyasha sat apart from the others, a little more distant than usual. He had never been a conversationalist, but he would speak occasionally during the evening meals. Tonight, he said nothing at all. The only one who seemed unaffected was Shippou. He was overjoyed at the idea of finally having a mother again.

At last the meal ended and Kagome stood. All eyes turned to her, expectantly, knowing that she was about to do something. She cleared her throat and smiled at her friends. "I just wanted you to know that I have been honored to become your friend. I will always keep you in my heart." She paused and wiped her eyes. "I have some gifts for each of you. Some things to remember me by."

"But Kagome," protested Miroku, "we would never forget you!"

Kagome smiled at the monk. "I know, Miroku. It is just an expression from my time."

"Stupid expression." came the muttered voice of Inuyasha.

"And, we didn't get anything for you!" exclaimed Sango.

"That's alright." Kagome replied. "I have a lot of pictures of all of you." She paused. "Now, on to my gifts." She reached into her backpack for the package for Miroku. He slowly opened the package and found that it was a pair of books. The first book was of the teachings and quotations of Buddha. His smile of delight at that book quickly disappeared as his jaw dropped at the second book. It was an illustrated copy of 'The Kama Sutra." Sango had been looking over his shoulder in interest at his acquisitions. Her jaw dropped when she saw the second book, as well. Before Miroku could do more than open the Kama Sutra, she snatched it from his hands.

"But, Sango!" he protested.

"We will look at this later." she told the houshi, firmly. Then she smiled at him, softly. "I think that this book is one that the both of us should look at and agree upon, don't you?"

Miroku smiled at Sango. "As you say, my dear."

Kagome had been watching this with delight. She knew that her choices would be well recieved, and they were safe. The information in those books excisted in this time already, so she wouldn't be leaving anything that could cause problems. Her next package was for Sango. Actually, it was two packages. She handed the smaller package to Sango first. When Sango opened it, she looked at her gift in puzzlement. "What is this?" she asked. "A minurature Hiraikotsu?"

Kagome laughed. "No, Sango. It is called a boomerang. In the country it comes from, the natives use it to hunt and to fight. It is very good at stunning your enemies and it works just like Hiraikotsu. I thought that it would come in useful against human enemies that you wouldn't want to use Hiraikotsu on."

"Thank you, Kagome. It would be useful for that."

"Now, here is your second gift." Kagome handed Sango her next gift. "This is actually more of a wedding present, since I won't be here for it."

Sango looked sad at the mention of Kagome not being at her wedding, but she opened the package anyway. It was a flat box that appeared to be full of black lace. Sango was puzzled again. She held up the lace to get a better look at it. "Kagome? What is .. this .. for .." Her voice trailed off as she realized that it was a woman's garment. A very revealing woman's garment. Her face turned blood red. She looked at Miroku to see a stunned look on his face that swiftly gave way to a look of speculation. Her jaw dropped; she could tell that he was imagining it on her! She quickly stuffed it back into the box and then sat on it to keep it from prying eyes.

Kagome laughed at Sango while she dug into her backpack for Kaede's gift. "Here, Kaede. This is for you."

Kaede took the package and comented before opening it. "I hope that it is something a little more practical than Sango's second gift. I have no need of it."

"You can say that again, baba."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha in irratation. He was really starting to try her patience. He just looked back at her with a bored expression on his face. She sighed and turned her attention back to Kaede. The old miko had just finished opening her present and was examining the mortar and pestal that she had received. Her eye filled with tears as she lifted out the assorted packets of medicinal herbs that were very hard to come by and were very expensive, in her time. "Child, this is to much! These herbs are worth their weight in gold."

Kagome smiled at the woman who she thought of as a grandmother. "They don't cost that much in my time, Kaede. It is my pleasure to buy them for you."

Kaede smiled at Kagome. "I thank you, my child. And the villagers will thank you to at the healing that will come from these herbs."

Kagome took a deep breath. Now was the moment of truth. "Inuyasha. Please come here. I have a gift for you too."

Inuyasha stood and walked to where Kagome stood. "I told you before that the only thing that I wanted from you was the jewel."

"Humor me, Inuyasha. Please accept this." She handed him a flat box.

"This better not be another outfit like Sango got." Inuyasha growled.

Kagome giggled at the sudden picture that came into her mind of Inuyasha wearing a lace nighty. "It's not. Now open it!"

The first thing that Inuyasha noticed when he opened the box was a smaller box in the center. The second thing he noticed was that it was sitting on a piece of paper with some writing on it. His eyes caught the title and his breath caught in his throat. The title was 'My Beautiful Hanyou'. He slowly pulled the page from the box and began reading it.

Hair of silver

Long and flowing

Cascading down his back like water.

I long for it to wash over me

He is my Hanyou.

Mouth that shows a scowl to the world,

A world that has hurt him

But it smiles for me.

I want to kiss those smiling lips.

He is my Hanyou.

Hands, calloused and hard,

Always ready to protect me.

But always soft when they hold me close.

I want their touch.

The touch of my Hanyou.

Eyes of amber,

Glowing when they look at me.

He doesn't think I notice.

But I see the glow.

He is my Hanyou.

Soul of strength,

Who would suffer any wound,

To spare me pain.

I want his soul with mine,

Because he is my beautiful Hanyou.

Inuyasha finished reading the poem and slowly, reverantly, put it back in the box. Quietly, he said, "I see you've read my poem." Inuyasha turned his head to look at Kagome. "How did you get it?"

"That doesn't matter. What matters is that I did read it. I cried when I read it. Inuyasha, how could you hide that from me?"

"Feh! Didn't you get it from the poem? I'm a hanyou! I am nothing and I have nothing!"

"No! You are something and you have me! I love you, Inuyasha and that is all I need. I don't care about land or wealth. I never have and ,if you would think about it, I have never acted like I did!"

"But I want to give them to you!" Inuyasha looked at her in desperation. "That doesn't really matter, anyway. I don't want you life to be in danger because of me."

"Don't you think you can protect me?"

"Of course, but..."

"Then that is nothing but an excuse."

"Kagome! I saw what my mother went through. I wanted to spare you that."

Kagome sighed. "Sometimes you are really dense, Inuyasha. Have I been treated badly here because I associate with you?"

"No, but others..."

"We won't have to worry about others. We won't be leaving this village."

Miroku, Sango, and Kaede all perked up at this. Even Shippou looked a little releived.

"Does that mean that you will be staying?" asked Sango, hoping for a yes.

"That depends on a certain stubbourn hanyou. Inuyasha, I want you to open the other box."

Inuyasha opened it to find three rings, two were plain gold bands and one had a small jewel in the crown. "What are these for?"

Kagome took a deep breath and shook herself to calm her nerves. "In my time, when a couple decides to marry, the man will obtain these rings. The one with the diamond on top is given to his intended when he asks her to marry him."

Inuyasha's jaw dropped as he realized what Kagome was saying.

"There are two of the plain rings, one for the man and one for the woman. They are a symbol of the wedding vows."

Inuyasha pulled the jeweled ring from the box. He held it between his thumb and forefinger for a moment, just looking at it, then he looked at Kagome. He smirked to see the hope in her face. "Even I'm not that stupid, Kagome. I can take a hint." His smirk changed to a full smile. "Kagome, I have wanted to ask you this for a long time. Will you be my mate?"

"Yes!" Kagome answered as she tackled the startled Inuyasha and gave him a long, hard kiss.

The small group of friends that stood by began cheering and laughing, happy for the couple and happy that they would not be losing Kagome. Miroku looked at Sango and winked. "See. I told you my plan would work."

_500 years into the future_

Kagome's history sensei pulled into the drive of his home. 'Today went very well.' he thought to himself. He pulled out Kagome's makeup assignment and smiled at the poem written there. He made his way up the steps of the shrine that was his home and was greeted by an old monk.

"How did it go? Where you successful?"

The sensei smiled as he took off his suit coat and slipped into his monks robes. "Here, Grandfather. See for yourself." He handed him the poem.

The old man looked at it and smiled. He made his way to his desk and laid the poem next to an ancient paper bearing the same poem. "It seems that we have done our honorable ancestor proud. We have fulfilled his task for us."

"Indeed we have, Grandfather. Now, I have papers to grade and then I am off to bed."

"You have earned this nights rest, my grandson." The old man left for his own bedroom. He stoped at the door and called back to his grandson, "Good-night, Miroku."

"Good-night, Grandfather." The sensei Miroku looked at the ceiling. "I'm glad that I was able to help you, my ancestor. May your path be clear to the next life." With that said, he began grading papers and thought that it wasn't likely that he would see Kagome the next day.

End

**A/N: I hope that you liked this. It has been sitting on the back burner for some time now. I actually began this about the same time as I began 'Be Careful What You Say' and that story took up all my time. I came across the beginning of the manuscript and decided to finish it. Tell me what you think.**


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